NEW
& RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Everest - A Second Round by Rob Barnett
[New] Mieczyslaw Weinberg Resource page and review indexes
[New] Julius Harrison's Cornish Holiday Sketches by John France
Download News 2014/10 by
Brian Wilson, Geoffrey Molyneux & Kirk McElhearn
William Alwyn's Concerto Grosso No. 3 – A Half Century Retrospective by John France
Elgar and the Great War: The Spirit of England by John Quinn
Forgotten Artists: Franz André by Christopher Howell
A survey of Everest reissues by John Whitmore
Harold Schonberg The Last Of The Traditionalist American Music Writers by Frank T. Manheim
All national discographies prepared by Mike Herman are updated; this will now occur on a monthly basis.
MWI
Recommends - Unheralded masterworks - favourite rarely recorded works.
NOTICES
[New] A Holst celebration in Oxford: September 27 - see here for details
Searching for the music for Eleanor Farjeon's Sussex Alphabet - your help required - see here
Julian Lloyd-Webber's last filmed performance - available to watch free
A Dream Of Germany: Music’s War-torn World 1914 - four concerts of music related to WWI on October 5 in London - see here for the Press Release (pdf)
Press release from EM Records about a new release Irish Idylls: piano music by Stanford, Bax & Rosenthal
London performances of Stanislaw Moniuszko's opera Halka in October - details here.
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Monday: Other reviews (nostalgia, books, other music), Wednesday: MWI
Recommends, Friday: Articles.
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LATEST REVIEWS
Friday August 29th
William BYRD (1539/40–1623) The Three Masses - Westminster
Cathedral Ch/Martin Baker rec. 2013 HYPERION CDA68038 [71:30] [BW] One of the
best recordings of this wonderful music.
Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Piano Concerto 1,
Piano Sonata 3 -
Guiomar Novaes (piano)
Bamberg SO/Ionel Perlea
rec. 1952/57 FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR976 [67:55] [SG] Chopin playing of impeccable refinement.
Marco DALL’AQUILA (c.1480-1538) Music for Lute - Sandro Volta (six-course lute)
rec. 2013 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94805 [49:09] [GH] Not
an overlooked master but the music is pleasing and the performances
are immaculate.
Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924) Piano Quartet 2, Clarinet Trio, Trois romances sans paroles - Kungsbacka Piano Trio,
Philip Dukes (viola) Richard Hosford (clarinet) rec. 2013 NAXOS
8.573223 [62:07] [IL] Another beguiling album of Fauré
chamber music.
Dmitri KABALEVSKY (1904-1987) Piano Pieces for Children Young and Old -
A Recital of Concert Pieces
Kirsten Johnson (piano)
rec. 2014 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6282/83 [72:38 & 77:29] [SA] Johnson plays everything in a committed way that shows her love for the music.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin sonatas -
Arthur Grumiaux (violin)
Clara Haskil (piano)
rec. 1956 MELOCLASSIC MC2000 [74:15] [JW] This splendidly preserved recital takes its rightful place in the pantheon of authoritative and sensitive live performances.
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Quixote Ernest BLOCH (1880-1959) Violin Concerto -
Josef Szigeti (violin)
Philharmonic SO New York,
London PO/Sir Thomas Beecham
rec. 1932/39 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC410 [73:32] [JQ] The première recording of Don Quixote in a good new transfer coupled with a real Beecham rarity.
James Brawn in Recital 1 Works by Bach/Busoni, Liszt, Mussorgsky & Rachmaninov
rec. 2012 MSR CLASSICS MS 1501 [75:46] [BR] An important
pianist, but not exactly a mandatory recital.
Thursday August 28th
Sir Arnold
BAX (1883-1953) Four Orchestral Pieces, Phantasy, Overture, Elegy, and Rondo - Philip Dukes (viola) BBC Philharmonic/Sir Andrew Davis rec. 2014 CHANDOS
CHAN10829 [72:23] [RB] Sensational recordings and performances
that are never less than splendid.
Lars-Erik
LARSSON (1908-1986) Orchestral Works Vol. 1 - Helsingborg
SO/Andrew Manze rec. 2011 CPO 7776712 SACD [76:06]
[NB] Excellent in every respect and leaves me impatiently for Volume
2.
Albéric MAGNARD (1865-1914) Cello Sonata, En Dieu, Trois Pièces, Promenades -
Alain Meunier (cello)
Philippe Guilhon-Herbert (piano) HORTUS 701 [70:37] [MC] Splendid playing ... stylish and warm musicianship.
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 8 - Vienna
State Opera Ch, Vienna Singverein, Vienna Boys’ Ch, Chicago SO/Sir
Georg Solti rec. 1971 DECCA 4785006 BD-A [79:46] [PCG] Really something pretty special.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Juan, Ein Heldenleben - London PO/Bernard Haitink rec. 1986/92 LONDON PHILHARMONIC
ORCHESTRA LPO0079 [65:23] [JQ] Two excellent live Strauss
recordings by Bernard Haitink. Admirers of this greatly distinguished
conductor should not hesitate.
Augusta Read THOMAS (b.1964) Chamber and Piano Works -
Walden Chamber Players, Amy Briggs, Makiko Hirato, Daniel Schlosberg (piano)
Robert Walters (cor anglais) Stefan Hersh, Steve Rose (violins) NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6261 [79.56] [GH] Wonderfully prepared performances of Read’s chamber and piano works.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Il Trovatore - Gaston Rivero
(tenor) Anna Netrebko (soprano) Plácido Domingo (baritone) Ch & O Staatskapelle
Berlin/Daniel Barenboim rec. 2013 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON Blu-ray
0735133 [145:00] [RJF] Three out of five is not good enough
for this work, and that does not take into account the idiosyncrasies
of the staging.
Leonid Kogan (violin) Works by Bach, Brahms, Debussy, de Falla, Handel, Ravel & Sarasate - Naum Walter (piano)
rec. 1964 MELOCLASSIC MC2012 [69:31] [JW] The first-ever release of this concert will make immediate claims on the Kogan admirer.
Wednesday August 27th
Bela
BARTOK (1881-1945) Chamber works for violin Vol. 3 - James
Ehnes, Amy Schwartz Moretti (violin) Michael Collins (clarinet) Andrew
Armstrong (piano) rec. 2012/13 CHANDOS CHAN10820 [68:33]
[PCG] Performances absolutely immaculate even in the face of the most
ferocious difficulties and boredom never sets in.
John CASKEN (b.1949) Violin Concerto, Concerto for Orchestra, Orion Over Farne - Sophia Jaffé (violin) Hallé
O/Markus Stenz rec. 2013 NMC RECORDINGS NMC D189 [74:40]
[RB] Another piece of elite advocacy for a contemporary composer who
still allows house room to imagination. Fascinating generally but the
Violin Concerto stands out in this company.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Violin Sonatina Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin Sonata
5 Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Violin Sonata - Siegfried Borries (violin) Michael
Raucheisen (piano) rec. 1943-1944 MELOCLASSIC
MC2010 [66:23] [JW] Borries
well deserves his place in this series especially
in such sympathetic restorations.
Paul
HINDEMITH (1895-1963) Nobilissima Visione, Five
Pieces for String Orchestra - Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz rec.
2011 NAXOS 8.572763 [58:37] Hindemith’s complete Nobilissima Visione in a fine performance [LW] Hindemith done
with utter conviction and apposite style [RB].
Karl
JENKINS (b.1944) Motets - Polyphony/Stephen Layton DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 479 3232 [74:08] [GH] Emotionally
charged, warm-hearted and communicative.
Peter MAXWELL
DAVIES (b. 1934) The Lighthouse - Neil Mackie
(tenor) Christopher Keyte (baritone) Ian Comboy (bass) Members of the
BBC Philharmonic/Peter Maxwell Davies rec. 1994 NAXOS 8.660354 [72:29] [MS] An excellent interpretation of a compelling modern opera;
fully satisfying in every way.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphonies 31, 35 & 36 - Royal PO, Beecham SO/Sir Thomas Beecham rec. 1915-53 PRISTINE
AUDIO PASC409 [79:54] [GH] Ample
evidence what a fine Mozart conductor Beecham
was ... also illuminating bonus tracks.
Alexander
SCRIABIN (1871-1915) The Poem
of Ecstasy Fikret Dzhamil AMIROV
(b. 1922) Azerbaijan Mugam - Houston SO/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1959 EVEREST
SDBR3032 [32.56] [IL] Short
measure again from Everest; but very much worth
the investment, especially the Amirov.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Elektra - Birgit Nilsson (soprano) Wolfgang Windgassen (tenor)
O & Ch Wiener Staatsoper/Karl Böhm
rec. 1965 ORFEO C886142I [60:31
+ 38:09] [RMo] The
extra intensity and charge that comes with which
the atmosphere of a live performance.
Rejoice,
the Lord is king! Great
Hymns from Westminster Abbey -
Westminster Abbey Ch/James O’Donnell, Robert
Quinney (organ) rec. 2012-2013 HYPERION
CDA68013 [68:45] [GF] Anyone
who has ever been in Westminster Abbey should
be overwhelmed by the lifelike sound picture.
Tuesday August 26th
Carl
Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788) Die Letzten Leiden
des Erlösers - RIAS Kammerchor &
O CPE Bach/Hartmut Haenchen rec. 2014 BERLIN
CLASSICS 0300575BC [46:56 + 47:07] [MS] Presents
one of CPE’s lesser known and previously
unrecorded choral works with great style and
to great effect.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies 1-9 - Berlin PO/Herbert
von Karajan rec. 1961/62 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 479 3442 [5 CDs + BD-A:
332:45] [JQ] Karajan’s
1963 Beethoven cycle still deserves to be highly
regarded in 2014.
Jake
HEGGIE (b. 1961) Natural Selection,
Songs and Sonnets to Ophelia, Eve-Song - Regina Zona (soprano) Kathleen Tagg (piano)
rec. 2013 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559764 [58.49] [PCG] Very
beautiful and very effective music.
Albert
LORTZING (1801 – 1851) Regina - Johanna Stojkovic (soprano) Theresa Holzhauser
(mezzo) Jean Broekhuizen (mezzo) Daniel Kirch
(tenor) Prague Phil Ch, Munich Rundfunk O/Ulf
Schirmer rec. 2011 CPO 777 710-2 [67:53 + 68:46] [GF] Not
the unknown masterpiece we always hope for but
pleasant enough.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Serge
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Sonatas for Violin and Piano, Melodies - Alina Ibragimova (violin) Steven Osborne (piano)
rec. 2013 HYPERION CDA67514 [60:45] [LW] A new
first choice for Prokofiev violin and piano
works.
Lionel
SAINSBURY (b.1958) Piano Music
- Lionel Sainsbury (piano) NAVONA NV5951 [70:12] [RB] Virtuosic
and passionate oratory expressed through the
piano and sharpened and softened by sultry accents.
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Juan, Dance
of the Seven Veils, Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks - Stadium SO of New York/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1958 EVEREST
SDBR 3023 [49:50] [RMo] Worthy but not vintage Stokie.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sir William WALTON (1902-1983) Troilus and Cressida - Judith Howarth (soprano) Arthur Davies (tenor) Ch Opera North, English Northern
Phil/Richard Hickox rec. 1995 CHANDOS
CHAN241-50 [70:08 + 63:04] This
mordant yet touching Hickox and Opera North
recording of the original version has the ruddiest
of blood running through its veins [RB] More firmly than
ever at the top of the pile [BW]
Arthur de Greef
(piano) Solo and Concerto Recordings rec. 1917-31 APR 7401 [4 CDs: 240:25] [SG] A welcome release of the recordings of a pianist
who seems to have gone off the radar.
Oscar
Shumsky (violin)Legendary Treasures rec. 1948-82 DOREMI DHR 8031 [3 CDs: 232:40]
[SG] For lovers of
great violin playing, this is well worth exploring.
Monday August 25th
Angelo BERARDI (1630-1694) Sinfonie a violino solo -
Fabrizio Longo (violino barocco), Anna Clemente (clavicembalo)
rec. 2013 TACTUS TC 630201 [45:49] [BBa] Will suit anyone with an ear for the period or who craves well-elaborated yet straightforward music out of the mainstream.
Herbert HOWELLS (1892-1983) Stabat Mater, Te Deum, Sine nomine -
Benjamin Hulett (tenor) Alison Hill (soprano)
Bach Ch,
Bournemouth SO/David Hill
rec. 2013 NAXOS 8.573176 [70:24] [RB] The emotional furnace of Stabat Mater superbly stoked and heard alongside two other succulent Howells rarities.
Fernando LOPES-GRAÇA (1906–1994) Canto de Amor et de Morte,
String Quartet 1,
Suite Rústica No. 2 -
Olga Prats (piano) Quarteto Lopes-Graça
rec. 2013 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0253 [54:05] [HC] Three works from Lopes-Graça's most productive decade in fine performances and recordings.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos 18 & 19 - Cleveland O/Mitsuko
Uchida (piano) rec. 2014 DECCA 478 6763 [60:48] [RMo] Testifies
further to Uchida’s art and Mozart’s
genius.
Hans ROTT (1858-1884) Symphony, Balder ruhest du auch! - Michael Volle
(baritone) Munich SO/Hansjörg Albrecht rec. 2013 OEHMS CLASSICS OC1803 [74:30] [RMay] The accomplished
playing of the orchestra and the conductor’s consistently expert
direction make this release well worth consideration.
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Symphony 3 Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Alborada del gracioso, Pavane pour
une infante défunte, Rapsodie espagnole -
Seattle SO/Ludovic Morlot rec. 2013 SEATTLE SYMPHONY MEDIA SSM1002 [64.23] [CF] Alternately blazing or sombre.
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Also sprach Zarathustra, Burleske, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche -
Byron Janis (piano)
Chicago SO/Fritz Reiner
rec. 1952-57 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC411 [67:28] [JQ] A very tempting package of Strauss performances by one of his noted interpreters in excellent new transfers.
Erich Röhn (violin) Max BRUCH (1838-1920) Violin Concerto 1 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin Romance 2 Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Concerto for 3 violins Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Rondo - rec. 1942/44 MELOCLASSIC MC2017 [58:58] [JW] This well-conceived and executed disc broadens perceptions of Erich Röhn as soloist and chamber player.
Martha
Argerich and Friends Live from the Lugano Festival 2013 WARNER CLASSICS 2564 631220 [3 CDs: 186:50] [DC] Worth the asking price.
The Early
Ragtime Works by Turpin, Joplin, Scott & Beiderbecke
- Marco Fumo (piano) rec. 2009 ONCLASSICAL OC41RT [46:27]
[DM] Short measure, but well worth your time; the lack of documentation
is a drawback.
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